Two weeks ago we laid John’s dad to rest. He was 96 years and 9 months old when he died and had lived a good life. He loved the Lord and his family and served them all well. At his graveside service we sang the old Swedish hymn Children of the Heavenly Father. It was…
Stories of Grace and Faith
The Power of Encouraging Words
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Sometimes the simplest of words can encourage a person, offer a measure of hope, or just let someone know that you are on their side. My friend, Pat, was a master of well-placed words. The minute I saw her…
I Don’t Feel Brave
I don’t feel brave. Not one bit. Let me explain. Last week I went to the Mayo Clinic for some tests. The day did not start well. Personally, I’m of the opinion that starting a day at 6:00 a.m. with an alarm ringing in my ears is just bad from the get-go. But there was more….
Waiting for a Blue Truck
Just over a week ago we were traveling in northwestern Minnesota visiting a relative when we realized we’d be driving close to the retreat center where I’ve attended several women’s retreats. Since we had some extra time and John had only ever heard stories about this place we thought it would be fun to stop so…
In the Middle of a Miracle
A few weeks ago I attended a Leadership Development Night at our church. The teaching was on being a flexible and adaptable leader. Keith, our speaker for the evening, talked about how we need to embrace change, be ready for it to happen, and not get our undies in a bunch when we’re asked to…